First Kiss
by mcj
Summary: A short one chapter story on the growing love between two best friends.


_Author's Note _... _Have you ever been so burnt out from writing something that you simply have to go and write something else to get you back on track? Those waiting for the final Part of the Jeff story in Tales of a Grandmother will wait forever if I don't write this. A little short story I hope you will enjoy. Don't worry Tales 3 will be uploaded soon. mcj _

_Standard Disclaimer - I don't own the Thunderbirds concept or characters. I don't even own my own house yet. Thank you to Gerry Andersen and all concerned for allowing me to use the characters from the TV show to help me write my way out of my writer's block. _

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**THE FIRST KISS**

'A short story of a growing love between two best friends'

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I walk beside you in silence, the warm clear water of the incoming tide lapping ever so quietly against my ankles.

You walk beside me in silence too.

Our feet are bare, our hands are entwined.

Every now and then you look down at me from your awesome height and smile. I look into your dazzling blue eyes and handsome young face and smile back.

For me paradise doesn't get much better than this... a peaceful, wealthy existence, a beautiful, tropical sunset and you walking attentively by my side.

It's hard to believe it's been three months now... three months since we were inadvertently drawn back together by your Father after the two of us had argued and agreed to part.

You had just finished College and had started making a name for yourself in the racing industry.

I had just finished College too.

I had been offered a job at Oxford University.

You had asked me not to accept it.

You wouldn't say so in as many words but I knew it was because you wanted me to be by your side. You wanted me to put my life on hold so you could indulge in some kind of relationship with me. The signs had been there the previous summer. Our close friendship was changing from an uneasy respect to an even uneasier feeling of love.

I wasn't ready to make that sort of commitment, especially with someone I'd only ever known as a friend. After all, we'd played together side by side. We'd grown together side by side. We'd become man and woman side by side.

But we were still just friends and friends were not meant to become involved... not like you wanted us to be involved anyway.

I told you I needed space and you didn't want to give it to me.

You didn't seem to understand what someone needing space meant.

I didn't want you to know how mixed up I was about the feelings I had for you in my heart. I wasn't experienced in love. I didn't even know if it was love I was feeling in the first place.

You on the other hand had experienced everything. Girl after girl, night after night, all of them blinded by your blonde good looks and brilliant blue eyes ... and the surname that made it hard for any girl to say no to you.

Tracy.

Youngest son of the billionaire.

You didn't indicate love was even an issue.

So I got around it by telling you I wanted to stay in England for a while and experience life.

You knew it meant I wanted to see other men.

You were twenty.

I was twenty-one.

You became huffy when I said I wouldn't return home until I was ready. You said if I were going to see other men, you'd be making the most of things too.

We said our stoic goodbyes on the lawns of Oxford and I felt tears well in my eyes as you walked away from me to return to America with your Father. You had come to see me graduate with the hope of having something more. You left only seeing me graduate.

And then it happened to both of us.

International Rescue.

I couldn't say no to your Father's invitation to join his Organisation any more than I know you could.

Like you, your Father had paid to educate me from Grade school to College and what he wanted us to do with our lives was just so exciting and worthwhile. It was the chance to help people in danger, the chance to make a difference in the world, the chance to do something I could never do at Oxford and something you would never be able to achieve on a race track no matter how fast you were driving.

So, like my Father and your four older brothers the two of us agreed to be a part of it.

You left the racing industry to become an Astronaut.

I left Oxford to follow my profession as an Engineer.

We both came home to Tracy Island.

And my feelings for you came back with me.

Since then it's been obvious that you still have feelings too. Your eyes follow me constantly. You take every opportunity for us to be together... you give me covert looks over dinner ... you glance at me all the time during your Father's debriefings ... you even make a point of brushing your hand against mine when I accompany you on a rescue mission.

It's obvious we both know how we feel.

I just wish we were able to tell each other.

The sun is starting to go down in the sky and the beautiful colours are beginning to glow on the horizon.

I look at them, take a deep breath and sigh happily.

I feel your hand squeeze mine.

"It sure is beautiful out here don't you think Tin-Tin?" you ask sounding content.

"Yes it is Alan." I reply.

Suddenly you startle as your wrist communicator flashes.

You drop my hand to respond.

You don't want your Father to see how far things have progressed between us.

You nod your head and confirm we are together on the other side of the island. You acknowledge the two of us have been gone for hours and didn't say where we were going. You say we'll be back soon. You promise to do the service checks on Thunderbird Three with Brains in the morning. You looked annoyed when your Father points out they were due to be done today. You nod your head unhappily as the communication ends.

You look at me and mutter something about one day having enough nerve to turn the blasted thing off.

I admonish you.

I point out I don't like my wrist communicator any more than you do but I understand your Father needs to be able to contact me at any time and in any place. We don't know when International Rescue will be needed and it's important for us to remain on permanent standby. I stress to you it's not a good idea to break important rules like this one.Your Father makes rules for a reason.

"Is that so Miss Kyrano?" you reply arching a blonde eyebrow in defiance. "Well you just stand there and watch me."

You reach down and slip the communicator off your wrist, flip the switch and shove it into your back pocket.

You give me a mischievous smile.

"Not possible huh?" you gloat. "Sorry sweetheart ... I'm afraid you've got me all wrong again."

The mischievous smile widens.

"Now ... I dare you to do the same."

I redden a little and shake my head.

You're so irresponsible sometimes Alan. You know the rules yet you continue to break them. Life is just one big playground as far as you are concerned and all you want to do is play.

We are talking about endangering people's lives you know.

"No Alan. I'm not allowed to take it off" I decline, but still start to giggle as you lung forward and try to undo mine.

You shrug at my resistance and release your grip on my wrist.

" Yeah well that's a shame then.This was the perfect opportunity for the two of us to finally be alone together."

I look around me, smile, and point out that we are already very much alone. The villa is nothing but a white dot in the horizon and there is no-one else around.

"We're not alone Tin-Tin," you sulk, your big blue eyes fixing on mine like a jilted puppy's. "We'll never be alone ... not while that thing's on."

I tell you that you are being ridiculous and ask why you want to be alone with me in the first place.

You redden and say that you just do.

You point out how hard it is trying to steal a moment alone with me in the villa with your brothers around. There is always someone with prying eyes watching us interact and we both know everyone is speculating as to what is going on between us.

Are we a couple?

Aren't we a couple?

You say your brothers are desperate to find out.

I would like to laugh and add, "And so is your Grandmother."

Well Alan I wish I had the courage to ask you the same question myself.

Are we a couple?

Aren't we a couple?

I don't know either.

It's safer to return to the argument about the wrist communicator.

"I'm sorry Alan." I reply. "No deal I'm afraid. Rules are rules."

"Yeah right ... Dad's rules." you mutter discontentedly. "Everything around here is always about Dad's rules."

We continue to walk together in silence and this time you don't reach out to take my hand in yours. You look out towards the horizon stubbornly refusing to acknowledge me.

"Things are no different to what they were eleven years ago are they?" I comment with a little too much sarcasm for his liking.

You stop walking and frown.

"What's that supposed to mean Tin-Tin?" you snap.

"You sulked when you didn't get your own way back then and you're still sulking because you aren't getting your own way now."

"Is that so?" you pout.

"Yes that's so." I snap back and purse my lips to pout too.

Sometimes I wonder why I feel the way I do about you Alan Tracy. Sometimes you can be so selfish, self centred and downright unreasonable. You fly off the handle, sulk and complain and carry on like the world should be grateful for your presence.

So why I ask myself am I so hopelessly in love with you?

"I'm only asking you to take it off for ten minutes Tin-Tin." you finally say.

My steadfastness begins to melt under the weight of your baby blue eyes.

"Ten minutes that's all."

To my mind come memories of what happened when I let those eyes persuade me to do the wrong thing when I was a child. I'm sure you would certainly remember that. You ended up with your Father's cane around your hind parts and I ended up in trouble with my Father.

But then as I recall, the disobedience was worth every single minute of it. Some of things we did were lots of fun even though they were very, very wrong.

My own face lights up with mischief.

Two can play this game.

"Make me." I challenge and turn on my heel to run up the beach.

You laugh and follow me.

I become light headed as I feel my feet leave the sand and you sweep me into your arms as if I am nothing more than a feather to you.

You begin to walk towards the water.

I squeal and protest for you to stop.

"Better take it off before I'll throw you in Miss Kyrano." you threaten with a triumphant look on your face.

"It's waterproof." I giggle. "And if I get wet I swear you're getting wet with me!"

I wrap my arms around your neck tightly to prove my point.

I suddenly feel a warm glow ebb right throughout my body.

I like being close to you.

Your shoulders are so broad... so muscular ...

I look up into your eyes.

You're looking at me too.

What are you thinking Alan?

Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

Do you want to kiss me?

Then you smile again...

...and throw me into the surf.

I splutter and curse.

You've completely drenched me.

You simply stand thigh deep in water laughing your head off

"I love a woman in wet tee shirt." you joke leaning forward and extending your hand towards me. "Did I ever tell you I judged one of those competitions once when I was on the circuit?"

I frown and allow you to pull me to my feet.

"No you didn't." I snap my tone telling you I don't want to hear about it.

"Oh yeah. The girls were awesome," you tease. "Well actually it wasn't the girls themselves who were awesome if you know what I mean..."

You wink and run your eyes over me.

"Oh well Tin-Tin you can't win 'em all."

I turn away and fold my arms over my chest.

How dare you make fun of my body Alan!

"I'm going home." I sulk pushing past you. "You can rot in hell with all your stupid disgusting memories."

"Oh come on Tin-Tin." I hear you say as I storm away from you. "Can't you even take a joke these days?"

I clench my fists and continue to walk away.

No I can't Alan Tracy.

Not when it involves you ogling other women.

And making fun of me.

You make me so mad sometimes.

You toy with my emotions like they mean nothing to you.

Don't you get it?

You think you can say anything to me just because we're friends.

You think I won't care.

Well I didn't want to hear about the big breasted women you once knew.

I didn't want you to throw me into the water.

I wanted you to kiss me you stupid oaf.

Why are you so damend blind?

I feel tears well up in my eyes and I walk away faster.

I hear the thudding of your footsteps as you try to catch up to me.

"Tin-Tin ... wait up." you call breathlessly.

You finally reach my side.

I stop and turn my head back to face you.

"Here ..you win." I choke pulling the wrist communicator from my wrist and throwing it into the sand. "I've broken your Father's stupid rules for you OK?"

We both look down at the discarded equipment stunned.

"Are you happy you've got your own way ... yet again?" I enquire tearfully.

Your face looks puzzled.

You see the tears in my eyes and don't understand.

You can't work out why I'm upset. After all as far as you're concerned you throw me into the water and make jokes at my expense all the time.

Your hand reaches out and touches my shoulder.

"I'm sorry baby girl." you apologise. "I didn't mean to upset you about the tee shirt."

I mutter that anything you say to me doesn't matter and all I want to do is go home.

I start to shiver.

The evening air is cool.

You bend down to pick up the communicator and then wrap your arm around me to draw me close to you.

You are silent for a long time as we walk.

When I finally indicate I might have forgiven you, you immediately joke that it least it got me mad enough to take off the wrist communicator.

"Don't push it Alan." I warn.

" Tin-Tin..." you begin hesitantly.

You stop walking and look down at the communicator in your left hand. Your right arm leaves my shoulders and you pull your own communicator out of your pocket. You carefully examine both.

I ask you what the heck you are doing now.

You tell me that you're just making sure.

I look up at you.

"Sure about what?" I enquire with a confused look on my face.

You look down at me.

"Sure that the two of us are really alone." you reply.

Your face is hardly recognisable in the darkness as night begins to close in around us.

"Why?" I frown.

"There's a reason I wanted you to take that darned communicator off." you explain to me in earnest.

"Yes I know about it already...you wanted me to defy your Father." I reply sounding bored.

You shake your head, draw me into your arms and gently tilt my chin to yours.

"No ma'am. Not this time." you say in a husky voice I have never heard you use before.

No more words come between us as your face slowly begins to lower towards mine.

My eyes grow wide as I realise what you are doing.

My knees feel weak.

My heart begins to race.

I don't think I'm even breathing.

Your lips are moist and warm as they seek outmy own.

I feel my body tingle as they move urgently against mine.

Your arms tighten around me.

I can feel your body next to mine.

My lower body begins to ache at your intensity.

Alan ...

I too have such a secret yearning to know more.

But this isn't right.

We're just friends.

...Aren't we?

The kiss finally ends and you release me.

You hand lingers on my cheek bone and you caress it softly.

We stare at each other in amazement.

Did we really just do that?

"Umm ...that's the reason why," you say to fill the uncomfortable silence.

"It was ...nice...Alan." I stammer shyly.

You reach down and take both of my hands in yours.

We stand in the darkness looking at each other not knowing what else to say to each other.

Is this the beginning of something meant to be?

Should this even be happening at all?

Neither of us know.

No ...

It shouldn't be happening.

We're just friends.

But as you kiss the top of my head and then my brush my lips again with yours I know that it really is happening.

And I don't want it to stop.

"You are much more than just a friend to me nowTin-Tin." you admit to me quietly. "Much, much more."

I look at you.

Does that mean that you love me like I love you Alan?

Or am I simply to end up like the girls you knew in Colorado?

I don't know.

I guess only time will tell my life goes on with you in International Rescue.

But there's one thing I do know for certain.

We'd better put our wrist communicators back on and hurry on back to the house.

Thunderbird One has just blasted off ...

Mr. Tracy will be looking for us and somehow I think the two of us are going to be in trouble again...

THE END

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Author's note - Please review if you feel inclined. I wasn't going to post this as it was just a little piece I wrote to amuse myself but then I thought - what the heck!!!!

Again - stay tuned for Tales. I think you will like the final instalment.

Yours in writing ...mcj

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